Article of footwear

ABSTRACT

An article of footwear that includes a bottom assembly, the bottom assembling including at least a wear sole and an element for reinforcing the bottom assembly, and an upper including a reinforcement element coupled to the reinforcement element of the bottom assembly. The coupling of the element for reinforcing the bottom assembly and of the element for reinforcing the upper is flexible at least in a transverse direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is based upon French Patent Application No.02.16239, filed Dec. 11, 2002, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference thereto in its entirety and the priority ofwhich is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to shoes and boots, and other articles offootwear, having a bottom assembly in the form of a structure havingseveral layers or elements providing distinct functions. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to the coupling of one element forreinforcing the upper of the article of footwear to one of the elementsof the bottom assembly.

[0004] 2. Description of Background and Relevant Information

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,148 describes the construction of an articleof footwear, i.e., a shoe or boot construction having, on the one hand,a bottom assembly with a wear sole and an element for reinforcing thebottom assembly and, on the other hand, an element for reinforcing theupper which is coupled to the element for reinforcing the bottomassembly, a shock absorbing and elastic reinforcement layer of thebottom assembly being interposed between the upper and the element forreinforcing the bottom assembly.

[0006] The coupling of the elements for reinforcing the upper and forreinforcing the bottom assembly allows for an optimum transmission ofthe foot movements to the sole.

[0007] Such a construction is particularly advantageous for walking orrunning on uneven ground because it improves the stability of the footand it improves the precision of the supporting forces in the bottomassembly/ground interface while allowing foot rolling movement.

[0008] Such a construction is therefore particularly suited for“raid”-type applications, i.e., cross-country types of shoes or boots,particularly those involving foot races on uneven terrain.

[0009] Although the shoe/boot is very satisfactory and has an excellenthold and stability in the transverse direction, this type ofconstruction is nonetheless too rigid, particularly in the transversedirection, for certain users who prefer the racing aspect and/or whosepreference for transverse stability in a boot or shoe is reduced insignificance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacksand to improve a boot of the aforementioned type.

[0011] This object is achieved in the boot according to the invention,which is of the type having, on the one hand, a bottom assembly with atleast one wear sole and one element for reinforcing the bottom assemblyand, on the other hand, one element for reinforcing the upper which iscoupled to the element for reinforcing the bottom assembly, in that thecoupling of the element for reinforcing the bottom assembly and of theelement for reinforcing the upper is flexible at least in the transversedirection.

[0012] Indeed, the flexible coupling in the transverse direction of theelement for reinforcing the bottom assembly and of the element forreinforcing the upper allows the boot to be softened, or made morepliable or flexible, for an application of the boot or shoe to racing,while retaining the aspect of having an excellent transmission of thefoot movements to the sole by means of the upper.

[0013] Such a construction is therefore always adapted for use on unevenground, while being more optimized for an application to racing.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the coupling of the elementfor reinforcing the bottom assembly and of the element for reinforcingthe upper occurs by means of an intermediary shock absorbing sole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention will be better understood and other characteristicsthereof will be shown by means of the following description, withreference to the attached schematic drawings showing, by way ofnon-limiting examples, several embodiments, and in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a boot having an upper andbottom assembly reinforcement according to the invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a view of the bottom assembly reinforcement/intermediarysole assembly;

[0018]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the entire bottomassembly before the various parts are assembled;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V of FIG. 2;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an element for reinforcing thebottom assembly and the upper according to a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The article of footwear 1, hereinafter also referred to as a“boot”, shown by way of a non-limiting example in FIG. 1, has an upper10 provided with an upper reinforcement 20 and a bottom assembly 30having a layered structure described hereinafter with reference to FIGS.2-5.

[0023] As shown more specifically in FIG. 3, the bottom assembly 30 isconstituted, from the base upwards, of a wear sole 40, an element 50 forreinforcing the bottom assembly, and an intermediary sole 60.

[0024] The wear sole 40, also called the walking sole or external sole,is made of an adherent material that resists wear, such as rubber,preferably, but also polyurethane or polymer on a thermoplastic base.

[0025] The intermediary sole 60 is made of a shock absorbing material,such as EVA, polyurethane, or an alloy of thermosetting polymers.

[0026] It is affixed directly to the upper 10 of the boot and extendsover the entire surface of the bottom assembly. The element 50 forreinforcing the bottom assembly is constituted by a plate made of arelatively rigid material which preferably has elasticitycharacteristics, such as polyamide, polyurethane, PEBE, PEBA, or PBT.

[0027] It can also be constituted by a textile insert that is preferablyinextensible and abrasion resistant, such as polyester or polyamide,stiffened by glue, such as a heat-meltable polyurethane glue, orneoprene.

[0028] Each of the elements 40, 50, 60 forming the bottom assembly formsa layer extending substantially over the entire surface of the bottomassembly and/or the foot of the wearer. The reinforcement element 50 inparticular extends practically over the entire length of the bottomassembly corresponding to the length of the wearer's foot, and has cutouts adapted to make the reinforcement softer, i.e., more supple orflexible, in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction in order toallow for a better foot rolling movement and more sensation in thetransverse direction.

[0029] Thus, the reinforcement element 50 has, at the front, slits 51 ina herringbone pattern that extend up to the medial edge of thereinforcement element 50. Each slit 51 has a long arm 52 orientedsubstantially along, or parallel to, the foot metatarsophalangeal axis,and extending over approximately half of the transverse surface of thereinforcement element 50.

[0030] These slits 52 are adapted to facilitate the flexion of thereinforcement element 50, along the direction, or parallel to thedirection, of the metatarsophalangeal articulation axis, and thereforeto facilitate foot rolling movement.

[0031] Each long arm 52 of each slit 51 extends up to the medial edge ofthe reinforcement element 50 by a short arm 53 extending 90°, orsubstantially 90°, with respect to the direction of the long arm 52.

[0032] The object of these short arms or slits 53 is to render thereinforcement element 50 softer or more flexible along the medial edgefor a better feel of the ground.

[0033] Small slits 54 oriented in the extension of the slits 52 and,therefore, symmetrically with the slits 53 with respect to thelongitudinal axis L of the reinforcement element 50, extend up to thelateral edge of the reinforcement element 50, so as to render thislateral edge of the reinforcement element more flexible or supple for abetter feel of the ground.

[0034] In the area of the heel, the reinforcement element 50 issubdivided into two medial 55 and lateral 56 arms, respectively, inorder to render more flexible or supple the reinforcement element 50 inthe transverse direction and to provide for a better sensation, from theone medial edge to the other lateral edge of the bottom assembly, andvice-versa. In the area of the plantar arch, the reinforcement elementis thinner and has straight or slightly concave edges 58.

[0035] The particular shape/form of the reinforcement element shown anddescribed hereinabove can be different depending on the effects desired.The shape/form described hereinabove is specifically designed for anapplication to racing, hence the bending during foot rolling movementand the cut outs adapted for facilitating or promoting sensations.

[0036] The wear sole 40 extends essentially over the entire surface ofthe bottom assembly and has cut outs 41 adapted essentially to show thereinforcement element 50.

[0037] The element 20 for reinforcing the upper is constituted in thepresent case of a substantially U-shaped three-dimensional element 21,having a return 22 at each of its ends.

[0038] The U-shaped portion 21 of the element 20 for reinforcing theupper is adapted to encircle the heel portion of the intermediary sole60 and of the upper 10 of the boot, and to be affixed thereto byadhesive or glue.

[0039] Each of the returns 22 of the reinforcement element 20 extendstransversely toward the inside with respect to the U-shaped portion, soas to abut against the edges 58 of the element 50 for reinforcing thebottom assembly in the area of the plantar arch zone while leaving aclearance between approximately 0 and 5 millimeters.

[0040] The coupling of the reinforcement element 20 to the reinforcementelement 50 occurs by means of the intermediary sole 60 to which thesetwo elements are affixed, for example, by glue/adhesive.

[0041] Preferably, an EVA sole has, in recess, an impressioncorresponding to the profile/contour of the two reinforcement elements20, 50, whose depth corresponds to the thickness of these reinforcementelements.

[0042] When assembling the boot, the two reinforcement elements 20, 50are positioned in the associated impressions of the intermediary sole 60and assembled to the latter by glue/adhesive. The wear sole 40 is alsoadhesively secured to the assembly, and the bottom assembly 30 thusconstituted is assembled to the upper 10 of the boot by glue/adhesive.The upper U-shaped portion 21 of the reinforcement element 20 is alsoadhesively secured to the upper.

[0043] Through this construction, one obtains, by means of the adhesiveconnection to the intermediary sole 60, a flexible coupling of theelement 20 for reinforcing the upper to the element 50 for reinforcingthe bottom assembly. In fact, the element 20 is both an element 20 forreinforcing the upper and for reinforcing the bottom assembly 30.

[0044] This flexible coupling of the two types of reinforcements 20, 50allows reconciling the contradictory requirements forrigidity/stiffness, lateral retention of the foot on uneven ground, andflexibility related to the requirements of foot races.

[0045]FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment in which the elements forreinforcing the upper and the sole are integrated on the medial andlateral sides. In this case, the element 150 for reinforcing the bottomassembly is constituted of two medial 160, 170 and lateral 180, 190portions, respectively. The medial portion has a substantially planarelongated portion 160 extending, in the longitudinal direction, overhalf of the bottom assembly, and an arm 170 halfway around the heel onthe medial side. The arm 170 has a vertical tab 171 rising from the flatportion 160 in the area of the plantar arch zone and being rounded offby a semi U-shaped tab 172 around the first half of the heel on themedial side. The other portion 180, 190 of the reinforcement elementsymmetrically has a substantially planar elongated portion 180extending, in the longitudinal direction, over half of the bottomassembly, and an arm 190 halfway around the heel on the lateral side bya vertical tab 191 and a semi U-shaped tab 192.

[0046] The two planar portions 160, 180 have transverse tabs 161, 181,respectively, nested one in the other.

[0047] The coupling of these two medial and lateral reinforcementportions occurs the same as before by adhesively securing each of thesetwo portions to the intermediary sole in the area of their flat portions160, 180, and in the area of the upper by means of their arms 170, 190.

[0048] Coupling therefore occurs essentially in the longitudinaldirection, with a transverse effect along the length of the transversetabs 161, 181.

[0049] This embodiment has the advantage of allowing for a varyingstiffness of the reinforcement elements 160, 170 and 180, 190, andconsequently of providing an, asymmetrical stiffness/reinforcement onthe medial and lateral sides, depending on the effect desired.

[0050] The present invention is not limited to the particularembodiments which have been described hereinabove as non-limitingexamples, but encompasses all similar or equivalent embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of footwear comprising: an upper; abottom assembly including at least one wear sole and at least oneelement for reinforcing said bottom assembly, said at least one elementfor reinforcing said bottom assembly including a first reinforcementelement, said first reinforcement element extending in a longitudinaldirection; at least one element for reinforcing said upper, said atleast one element for reinforcing said upper including a secondreinforcement element; a flexible coupling between at least said firstreinforcement element and at least said second reinforcement element,said flexible coupling being flexible at least in a direction transverseto said longitudinal direction.
 2. An article of footwear according toclaim 1, wherein: said flexible coupling comprises a shock-absorbingintermediary sole.
 3. An article of footwear according to claim 2,wherein: each of said at least one element for reinforcing said bottomassembly and each of said at least one element for reinforcing saidupper is assembled to said intermediary sole with adhesive.
 4. Anarticle of footwear according to claim 3, wherein: said intermediarysole comprises EVA.
 5. An article of footwear according to claim 1,wherein: said element for reinforcing said upper is also coupled to saidupper.
 6. An article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein: saidelement for reinforcing said upper comprises at least one portionextending around an area adapted to surround a rear area of a wearer'sfoot.
 7. An article of footwear according to claim S, wherein: saidelement for reinforcing said upper comprises a medial arm extendingalong a medial side of a rear area of a wearer's foot and a lateral armextending along a lateral side of said rear area of the wearer's foot.8. An article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein; said medial andlateral arms of said element for reinforcing said upper are associated,respectively, with medial and lateral portions, of said element forreinforcing said bottom assembly.
 9. An article of footwear according toclaim 8, wherein: said elements for reinforcing said upper and bottomassembly have mechanical properties of reinforcement of said upper andsaid bottom assembly that are asymmetrical on said medial and lateralsides, respectively.